Downton star comes to stage

A Downton Abbey actress and a double Olivier nominee is among the cast for a play all about Shakespeare at Northampton next week.

The Herbal Bed can be seen at Royal & Derngate in Northampton from Friday February 5 to Saturday February 27.

When William Shakespeare’s daughter is publicly accused of adultery with her neighbour, her husband chooses to stand by her, suing her accuser for slander. In doing so, their lives fall under the glare of intense public scrutiny in this emotional thriller, based upon real events from Stratford-upon-Avon in the summer of 1613.

Playing the central role of Shakespeare’s daughter, Susannah Hall, Emma Lowndes, pictured in rehearsal above, may be best known to audiences as Margie Drewe in Downton Abbey. Other TV credits include The Musketeers and Cranford.

The cast also includes Charlotte Wakefield, last seen in Northampton as Laurey in Oklahoma! last spring,

Tickets for The Herbal Bed are priced from £10 to £29. For further details or to book tickets call the box office on 01604 624811 or by visiting www.royalandderngate.co.uk.